Beyond the SDGs: MBDGs — Another Set of Development Goals We Need Now.
In a world shaken by uncertainty and rapid change, what we truly need may be “sustainability from within.” One key to that lies in MBDGs — Mind-Based Development Goals. It is a new path of growth that begins by deeply acknowledging our own existence.
Contents
What Is MBDGs? A Growth Model Starting From Self-Existence Awareness:
MBDGs (Mind-Based Development Goals) is a mind program for education and human resource development built around self-existence awareness.
What sets this program apart is its foundation: deepening self-understanding and self-acceptance based on the recognition of one’s existence value. From there, MBDGs helps people develop confidence (“I can do this!”), act proactively, envision the future, respect diversity, and build cooperative relationships — in short, to flourish.
MBDGs and Positive Psychology:
The idea of “flourishing” has been spotlighted in positive psychology. Core components such as self-acceptance, purpose, autonomy, and positive relations align directly with MBDGs’ approach.
The Six-Stage Growth Process:
MBDGs describes five stages of growth.
0.Building self-existence awareness: Feeling your existence has inherent value
1.Emergence of autonomy: Naturally beginning to act by your own choices
2.Vision formation: Gaining clarity on what you want to do and where you want to go
3.Acceptance of diversity: Respecting others and developing collaborative mindsets
4.Enhanced cooperativeness: Turning differences into constructive relationships
5.Growth Cycle
6. Pass to the next generation
This process is not about knowledge or skills alone — it’s about transformative learning from within.
Why Now? The Global and Japanese Context:
-Low self-esteem in Japan: International surveys show Japanese youth rate their self-worth far lower than peers abroad. An education culture that rewards external validation hinders genuine self-trust.
-Chronic challenge of fostering autonomy: Despite decades of policy emphasizing it, Japan still struggles to create environments where youth learn to think and act independently.
-Global issues: War, discrimination, inequality — these reflect a lack of ethical, vision-driven leadership. MBDGs fosters internally motivated, ethical leadership to build better societies.
Beyond the SDGs: While the SDGs focus on systemic change, they often lack focus on inner growth. MBDGs complements this by empowering the individual to transform society from the inside out.
Programs and Results:
MBDGs is implemented in three formats.
-Facilitator Training: For educators, managers, and coaches to learn the theory and practice, so they can guide others.
-Workshops: For general participants to build self-awareness, autonomy, and vision through multi-day or year-long programs.
-In Training: Embedding MBDGs elements into new hire programs, cross-cultural training, CS training, and more.
▶Results include:
-Education: 88% of students gained a clear vision of what they want to achieve.
-Sports: Improved focus, confidence, and team morale.
-Tutoring/Schools: Students began speaking up and describing hopes for their futures.
-Corporate: 82% of employees reported increased motivation.
Why We Created MBDGs:
The developer spent 18 years at ANA in training and recruitment before shifting into educational consulting. Encountering limits of Japan’s “autonomy education,” and the deep cultural barriers to self-trust, she built MBDGs to address foundational human growth.
MBDGs has since been recognized internationally with awards including the Education 2.0 Outstanding Leadership Award and Global Power Leader 2024 at the UK House of Lords.
Conclusion:
MBDGs is not a skills program. It’s a deep educational approach that works with people’s inner flame. A society of self-trusting individuals becomes a society where people respect each other — and that in turn leads to creativity, ethical leadership, and a real foundation for the SDGs.
If you believe that true social change starts with inner transformation, and wish to explore how MBDGs can contribute to your community or organization, please connect with us.
